Segment ring menu

• US 20090007015A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pearson, Mark, Satterfield, Clay, Mandic, Mirko, Dukhon, Marina
• Granted Patent: US 8,869,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

A segment ring menu is provided that is used to easily access menu items. The segment ring menu includes a number of menus that are located equidistant from an initial mouse position from where the segment ring menu is evoked. Hovering over any of the sections of the segment ring menu displays the menu items hosted in that section. The segment ring menu layout is directed at making it easy for the user to reach any of the menu items with a small amount of mouse movement.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing a segment ring menu, comprising:

determining when to activate the segment ring menu;

wherein the segment ring menu includes four sections that are equidistant from a center of the segment ring menu;

wherein the first section is associated with a first menu;

the second section is associated with a second menu;

the third section is associated with a third menu and the fourth section is associated with a fourth menu;

displaying the segment ring menu;

determining a menu to display that is selected from the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section; and

displaying the menu;

wherein the menu is displayed such that it does not overlap another one of the sections.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a menu to display comprises determining when a pointer is over one of the sections and displaying the corresponding menu that is associated with the section when the pointer is over the section.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining when the pointer is over one of the sections comprises displaying the menu when the pointer is outside a portion of around the center of the segment ring menu and over the section.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the segment ring menu is a context menu.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the menus that are each associated with a section of the segment ring menu are consistent across applications.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one of the menus includes cut, copy and paste tools.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein one of the menus includes formatting tools.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the menu to display comprises determining a default menu to display when the segment ring menu is activated

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for presenting a segment ring menu, comprising:

determining when to activate the segment ring menu;

wherein the segment ring menu includes sections that are approximately equidistant from a center of the segment ring menu;

wherein each of the sections are associated with a menu;

displaying the segment ring menu;

determining a menu to display that is associated with one of the sections of the segment ring menu; and

displaying the menu;

wherein the menu is displayed such that it does not overlap another one of the sections of the segment ring menu.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein determining the menu to display comprises determining when a pointer is over one of the sections and displaying the corresponding menu that is associated with the section when the pointer is over the section.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising dismissing the segment ring menu when either a selection is made outside of the segment ring menu or when an option contained in the menu, wherein the option is set to close the menu when executed, is selected.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the segment ring menu is a context menu and wherein displaying the segment ring menu comprises locating the segment ring menu around a location of a pointer.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein segment ring menu includes at least three sections but no more than six sections.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein each of the menus that are each associated with a section of the segment ring menu are consistent across applications.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein one of the menus includes cut, copy and paste tools and wherein another one of the menus includes formatting tools.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein displaying the menu comprises associating a different section of the segment ring menu with the menu such that the menu is displayed over the different section when the menu can not be drawn completely when it is associated with the section with which it is originally associated.

17. A system for utilizing a segment ring menu, comprising:

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor; and

a segment ring menu manager operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to;

determine when to activate the segment ring menu;

wherein the segment ring menu is a context menu that includes four sections that are positioned equidistant from a center of the segment ring menu;

wherein the first section is associated with a first menu;

the second section is associated with a second menu;

the third section is associated with a third menu and the fourth section is associated with a fourth menu;

displaying the segment ring menu;

determining a menu to display that is selected from the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section; and

displaying the menu;

wherein the menu is displayed such that it does not overlap another one of the sections and wherein the menu may be displayed in its entirety on the screen.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein determining a menu to display comprises determining when a pointer is over one of the sections and displaying the corresponding menu that is associated with the section when the pointer is over the section.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein determining when the pointer is over one of the sections comprises displaying a menu when the pointer is outside of a portion of around the center of the segment ring menu and inside one of the sections.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein at least three of the menus that are each associated with a section of the segment ring menu are consistent across applications;

wherein a first one of the menus includes cut, copy and paste tools;

wherein a second one of the menus includes formatting tools; and

wherein a third one of the menus includes a selection change gallery.